Hunters killed the lowest number of deer in 2007-08 than in any hunting license year since the Pennsylvania Game Commission switched to estimating deer harvests rather than using the actual number of harvest report cards filed by hunters more than 20 years ago.

According to the commission, hunters took an estimated 323,070 deer in 2007-08, down
11 percent from the previous seasons' harvest of 361,560.

That decline continued a downward trend for most of the 21st century, and was the lowest mark since 1986-87, the first year that the commission opted for harvest estimates.

The 2007-08 decline was fueled largely by a whopping 19 percent drop in the buck kill, from 135,290 in 2006-07 to 109,200 last year. That too was the lowest mark since 1986-87.

The 2007-08 antlerless harvest of 213,870 was down just 5 percent from the 226,270 of 2006-07. It was the lowest mark since 1999-2000, when the commission estimated the doe kill at 184,224 and was preparing to launch a drastic change in its deer management program aimed at massive herd reductions.